When War Ensues
by twinchopsticks
Summary: Everything is absolutely perfect for Shinji and Hikari. Life couldn't be better. That is, until the Johto and Sinnoh regions declare war. Wars have soldiers, and Shinji just happens to be one of them. DawnxPaul T for themes review please!
1. Chapter 1

It's always ironic when two people who are on the opposite sides of the spectrum, end up together in an almost 'perfect' relationship. Of course fights, rants, whining and quarrels are inevitable in all relationships, no exceptions to the quirky ones either. But expectantly, the two usually make it through in one piece. There are many ways of "making it through" though. As the couples vary, so do the techniques in which they solve their problems. Some relationships just sweep it under the rug by overwhelming the ordeal with money, sex, or an expensive gift. Others prefer the sentimental approach, where they sit down all cozy on their couch with a mug of hot coffee, and talk out the problem, attempting to be as civilized as the situation will allow. Then there are those who don't give two shit about what comes out of their mouth or how. They'll be shrieking at each other, their blinding rage pumping adrenaline through their systems, and over half the time they say things they don't mean.

These are generally the three different ways a relationship can work when there's arguments. However, there are those few unique, particular couples who well…simply do all three at the same time. How? Have you met Hikari and Shinji?

"It's not fair that you get to choose where we eat _again_," Hikari huffed, crossing her arms. She leaned against the window looking at the snow softly fluttering down. Her eyes would catch a large fat snowflake, and they'd watch it fall until it disappeared into the black pavement.

"Well it's _my_ money I'm sacrificing so I at least get the right to choose where I'm going to spend it," Shinji replied crisply. His eyes were focused on the road as he veered a sharp left. He drove cautiously as his tires glided over a thin sheet of ice. Hikari lifted her head. Out the window, her eyes met strings of yellow and white lights draping from each building, webbing their way across the street and attaching themselves to another building. The wired lights criss-crossed above the street, and every other light flickered purposely adding a marvelous shimmering effect. The lamp posts were also strung with these lights, only a silvery blue color. The snow was compacted to the sides of the streets and the edges of sidewalks, so pedestrians could ease their way forward. Even though it was only early November, shop windows were elaborately decorated for the Christmas holiday display. Expensive and sumptuous items for both human and Pokémon sat on pretty shelves or boxes, just waiting to draw in customers.

As Hikari continued to observe the street, she noticed that many of the buildings were labeled with high end brand names.

"Shinji…where are we?" she questioned in awe.

"17th Street Mall," Shinji replied nonchalantly.

Hikari's eyes widened. The 17th Street Mall was one of the most expensive places in Veilstone City! Only people with good money could afford to shop there.

"Why are we in such an expensive area?"

"Because we can be."

This quip remark earned Shinji a soft glare. Transfixed with all the lights and glamour, Hikari simply brushed her boyfriend's attitude aside. However, being a shopping queen she was, Hikari had never really been able to shop at the 17th Street Mall… From the time she started her Pokémon journey about seven or eight years ago, until now, Hikari had only been to this place about three times.

"Are there good restaurants here?" she continued.

"Expensive restaurants don't price their food so high for nothing."

"Do you have enough money? Which restaurant are we going to? How far-"

"Hikari!"

His voice thundered in the small car, and Hikari couldn't help but flinch.

"Just shut up and let me drive us where we're going. And stop asking so many questions," Shinji exasperated.

The coordinator frowned, and again crossed her arms in spite. Fine. If he didn't want conversation right now, neither did she.

…

"So…"

"Hikari…"

"Sorry."

Shinji pulled into the parking lot, killing the engine. However, he didn't immediately jump out of the car. He just sat. His purple hair dark as ever, and its color blended into the shadows behind him. His bare hands were still placed on the steering wheel, and his mouth was still shriveled into a very distastefully bitter-cold frown. An atmosphere eerily emitted from the young man. That atmosphere being taunting, thick and heavy. Something was always brewing in Shinji's mind, so it wasn't a surprise he was so pensive. But this was different. His breathing was slightly unsteady, and his inhales were thicker and more distinct than his exhales. His eyebrows were usually not quite furrowed as they were tonight as well. It was pretty safe to say something was off about the mysterious boy.

Hikari had been averting eyes ever since she was childishly scolded for asking too many questions. From where she hung her head in awkwardness, she steadily turned her eyes to the sharp profile of the person next to her. She couldn't see him completely, due to her blue locks making a somewhat stringy curtain. Also, the light outside was terrible and made everything blurry and somewhat merged together. She tried to be sneaky and hope Shinji wouldn't catch her staring at him.

However, her evasiveness failed her, and once she had both eyes on him, he instantly met her eyes.

They stayed like that for a brief second, before Shinji opened his door and got out.

"This is going to be a long night," Hikari murmured as she too stepped out of the vehicle.

When she got out, Shinji was waiting with an extended hand. She blankly stared at it.

"Are you going to take it or not?"

Quickly, she grabbed his hand. It was warm, and though it was uncomfortable how firmly he squeezed, it hosted an unbelievable sense of safety and protection. So she continued to hold it.

The restaurant was lively yet calm. People were dressed formally, and any Pokémon brought along had a little something extra on them. Such as a bowtie, a headband, etc. Each table had wine glasses placed precisely on stark white table cloths embroidered with flowers. Jazz music softly filled the warm room, and waiters and waitresses bustled about with steaming food balanced on their arms.

"Table for two please," Shinji told the waiter at the desk. The man nodded and lead them to a table right splat in the middle of the place.

"Does this work, sir?"

"Could we get somewhere more…" Shinji scanned the restaurant, "…private…?"

He said the last word barely over a whisper, and had it not been for the dim lighting, Hikari could've sworn a light blush was brushed on his tan cheeks. The waiter took a second before leading them to a booth tucked carefully into the corner of the restaurant.

"How about here?"

"That's good, thank you."

They seated themselves before they ordered their drinks. Menus were distributed and immediately, trying to avoid anymore awkward moments, Hikari shoved her nose in her menu. What to have…what to have…

Shinji wasn't paying attention to his menu. At all. He simply saw the words he was 'reading', their meanings currently dead to him. Had he not known how to have complete control of his composure, his hands would have been trembling, his throat would have been parched, and his forehead and palms would probably be doused in beads of sweat. The feeling of nervousness was not familiar to him. He knew what it was, and had felt it mildly a few times before, but this…this was absolute overload. It had been the first time in years he hadn't been able to think clearly, and his stomach was wound in strange knots.

He swallowed hard, and tried hard to keep his mind on the menu and not on…_that._ He could wait, couldn't he? Maybe in a few days, or a few weeks…months…a year… N-No! No! Definitely not. He had already procrastinated this for three months, he wasn't going to wait another three months. It was time. He was ready, wasn't he? Of course he was! Otherwise…it wouldn't have crossed his mind… But what about-

"Are you ready to order?" a voice corrupted his busy thoughts. His eyes shot up from the menu, then looked back at the page.

"Uh…yes," Shinji said, shifting a bit, "I'll have the fried shrimp and rice."

It was the first thing he saw.

"And you?"

"The chicken alfredo sounds good," Hikari decided pleasantly.

The orders were scribbled down and the menus were collected.

The young woman with blue hair lifted her eyebrow in utter mockery, "Since when do you eat shrimp and rice together? You've never been a seafood person."

Shinji could only scowl.

"…Can't I try something different?"

"Perhaps. It just seemed very odd to me, that's all."

Shinji felt his hands being clasped, and he looked down at the table. Hikari had taken her hands and gently grasped his larger ones. They were so bare…Shinji noted to himself. No polish or rings… He continued to watch as Hikari delicately played with his own. Maybe lifting a few fingers, tracing the natural indents with her nail, turning them over…

"Your hands were always so big compared to mine," she observed, smiling playfully.

"Maybe yours are just extra small," Shinji countered, trying to keep his voice steady.

"No, I don't think that's the case."

She frowned a bit, feeling all the calluses and rough patches. He really did work hard…in his years of travel. Conquering all the regions and winning them all at one point. Shinji worked out too. He would go to the gym two times a week and stay for about an hour and a half to two hours at a time. She constantly pestered him to put lotion on them, but he detested the idea, not at all wanting to deal with its slimy feel.

"You know, red goes good on your nails," Shinji commented awkwardly, looking at her perfectly manicured nails.

Hikari suddenly pulled her hands back and stared suspiciously at her boyfriend.

"Excuse me?"

"I…I was just saying when you have red polish on…it looks good."

Still awkward.

"You're sick. You need a doctor," Hikari said half playfully, "Because I've never heard you comment on my nails before."

Shinji tried to smile, but it came out as a strange deformed smirk.

"…I think I'm good."

Hikari laughed lightly and fully. It was such a good sound to hear her laugh. So smooth and…cute… Shinji mentally butchered himself for even thinking the C word. This was enough.

"Oh it's so funny to see you acting so-_mmmph!_"

Shinji shot up and slammed his lips forcefully against Hikari's. He grasped her wrists and pinned her hands to the table, as he felt her soft and smooth lips make full contact with his. He blushed madly, as he continued to enforce this lip punishment. Hikari's eyes were wide with shock, as her lips were attacked. Within a few seconds, (after fearing she wasn't kissing back), he felt her lips begin to move to kiss back. She closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against his. Though the kiss itself was aggressive, there was a fiery passion present. It accompanied their kiss with a great force, making sure they knew this kiss was not an ordinary one. But one of deep feelings and emotions.

Unfortunately, humans do indeed have to breath in order to survive, and kissing restrains that idea. The two pulled back, out of breath by now, and flustered.

"Wh-what was that…?" Hikari gasped after a few seconds of breath catching.

Shinji swallowed and took advantage of the ice water in front of him. After flooding his throat with water, he decided the best way he could do this was to be blunt.

"Marry me."

And that's all he said.

* * *

><p><strong>I love Ikarishipping so much. It's in my top 3 favorite pairings of ALL TIME. Now I know the first paragraph makes no sense in this first chappy. But in the next one or two it will. So don't be like: wtf-this has nothing to do with fighting. <strong>

**please be patient with me! xD haha I don't know how often i will update. but i'll work on this story as much as i can... an fyi: 17th street mall is based off of Denver's 16th street mall. i love that place! haha now you can stalk me now you know what town i live in! :'D . . .please don't though. that's not nice. **

**anyways, first chapter. please review! i always love reviews and it inspires me! **

**until next chapter~**

**-TC**

**Pokemon does not belong to me. Pokemon belongs to: Satoshi Tajiri and copyrighted by Nintendo or whatever **


	2. Chapter 2

It was suppose to come out as a question. But…obviously, that didn't exactly happen. Instead, it was pressed out as a sentence. He didn't say it with any force, it wasn't a command, but the tone that associated this sentence was extremely dull and flat.

"Wh-what…!" Hikari sputtered, a flush stinging her cheeks.  
>Stuck in a situation like this, where you are suddenly told to marry someone without a speech, right after being passionately attacked on the lips, it's hard to come up with another response besides 'what'. Which thankfully does not translate into a direct Yes or No. Shinji swallowed hard. Shit. He had to ask again.<p>

"M-Marry me…?" he managed weakly. Hey, at least it came out as a question this time. Kind of. He gazed expectantly at Hikari, who stared at him, shocked and bewildered.

Shinji then hitched a gasp while fumbling something out of his pocket, "Ah…! I forgot the ring!"

His eyes were desperate for some sort of savior. Anything. I mean-anything. A waitress, a tornado warning-a random nuclear bomb! Anything that would delay this mess or stop it right then and there. He swallowed hard as he noticed his hairline begin to bead with cold sweat.  
>N-No…! This wasn't happening! He wasn't forgetting the ring!<br>Shaky hands fumbled with the openings of pockets while uncoordinated fingers busied themselves with attempting to recover the soft feel of velvet. Hikari could only watch in utter bewilderment. Her heart was pounding at a definitely unhealthy rate as she sat. Her body was stiff, joints locking and neck seeming to neglect its rotational abilities.  
>Suddenly, a cry of utter frustration escaped the trainer's lips.<p>

"No!" he screamed, "No! No! No!"  
>Heads swerved curiously towards the angered trainer as his tantrum amplified.<p>

"I-I-I don't have it! I don't have the ring!" he sputtered lamely.

He stood up and began to wring his jacket of any items buried deep within pockets and folds. A few coins…his trainer ID…even his PokéBalls littered the floor as he frantically searched for the box.  
>Becoming almost hysterical, searching for the box that he now knew was currently non-existent, Shinji began pacing and panicking.<p>

Now…you have to understand…that Shinji Tobari was not used to panic. The feeling was strange and foreign to him. For he was used to being protected by the walls of confidence and knowledge. He was accustomed to having every single little detail planned out to execute his goal. Even if his plan was sure-fire, he still was not satisfied until he had a backup plan for each individual detail. Incase something were to go wrong, he'd have a very promising cushion. But this was not the case.  
>This scenario was not a Pokémon Battle plan, this was not a plot to defeat his next challenger and this was not something he could easily find a way out of. There was no reference to look back to, there was no base or foundation for him in this field of feelings… He was drowning in uncharted waters. And quite frankly, he hadn't a damn idea what to do.<p>

"I-I had it with me…!" he wheezed, searching his back pockets for the tenth time that minute, "I swear! Oh Arceus…I-"

He was just about to rip open the seams of his jacket once more before two soft palms pressed against his cheeks. These soft features of lavender scented palms guided his focus towards something much more dear and relieving. Hikari's azure blue eyes gazed at him. They searched his own eyes, looking, scouring for something… Big blue eyes may not have known what they were looking for either to be honest. They were just…looking. Hikari caressed Shinji's face with her thumb. She examined and observed his features and micro expressions. What was in there? Behind the wall of purple bangs…and past the strange look of panic in his solid marble eyes? What was in there? Surely…surely it just wasn't panic alone. There had to be some other accompanying emotion that swirled within his brain. But what?  
>Fear possibly? But…Shinji did not fear. It was not in his nature-hell…it wasn't even in his vocabulary, unless he was exerting that word's definition from a challenger's failures. But other than that…he never used it.<p>

"Yes…" Hikari found herself whispering. No. This word should not be whispered, she decided.

"Yes!" she cried out, amplifying her voice so even those who gazed at them suspiciously could hear. Automatically, Hikari threw herself onto her boyfriend-er…now fiancé. She clung to his neck, her arms coiled around it.

"Yes! Of course I will!" she spewed happily. The emotion of pure happiness and blind love was delayed a bit, but once it caught up with the situation, it hit her head on. Reaction time was short, so she had to make due. Blue locks buried themselves into Shinji's shoulder, as he tried to process the feeling of being clung to. He wrapped his arms around the girl, eventually squeezing her back. Relief wasn't quite with him yet…nor was happiness or the bliss of love. Instead, he was at a limbo state. His mind-set was not used to such sudden changes of atmosphere, and it took him a moment to first analyze the atmosphere before reacting to it. After all, he had to decide how to react to it as well.

"Y-yes…?" he echoed Hikari, "Y-you said yes?"

"Yes, Shinji…I will marry you!" she confirmed solidly, leaning back so she could peck him on the lips.

Small cheers broke out from the restaurant's customers as they witnessed the awkward proposal. Some women stood smiling while clapping wildly while others took a more gentle approach. Men had smug smirks on their face, while others were shaking their heads, indication of: You just submitted yourself to an unwanted commitment of house arrest, young sir.  
>But none the less, the atmosphere was warm and inviting.<p>

They reseated themselves, hands grasping hands, their gaze locked in a strange mesmerized way. Shinji had expected his Hikari to cry and weep tears of utter joy, but was pleasantly surprised that her eyes were dry. Instead of clichéd tears of joy and, "Oh, Shinji!" followed by a speech of how much she'd waited for this moment, and how she'd awaited for her Prince to sweep her off her feet, she took it actually very well. Her eyes were glittery, the azure blueness shimmering under the dull light of the lamp hovering above their heads.

Smiles were plastered to their lips, both their lips, as they tried to figure out what the next step was. She felt...so bubbly! Almost as if someone had released a huge cage of Butterfree in her stomach. She was just proposed to! Out of no where! Oh if this wasn't the best moment of her life, she didn't know what was. Maybe her life was just better than an average girl's...maybe she just had all the right factors to a happy life...or maybe her life was just a terrible monstrosity, but one single person made up for it all. Who knew. All Hikari cared about was that Shinji had just expressed his love for her, and his commitment to their relationship. Something that was obviously so out of character for the boy, that reality was still a bit hazy to the two. This really was happening...wasn't it?

"Shinji...I-I don't know what to say..." Hikari breathed, "It took me by surprise and I'm just...oh my..."

"Don't say anything," Shinji directed gently, "Let's just...sit for a moment. Please?"

She nodded, understanding his desire to cool down. Shock was still racing through his system. He had just...just commited his life to this girl. He had just pronounced that he loved this girl with all his heart, and he was completely, 100% ready to spend the rest of his life with this one girl. No one else. No other girl in this universe would meet his high expectations and standards. No other woman could ever fill his heart with such strange emotions and such foreign feelings. He wouldn't dare throw that oddness away. He loved being able to explore his own feelings with Hikari, even if it did intimidate, confuse and scare him sometimes. It was an adventure he found frightening, yet quite refreshing at the same time.  
>But none the less, he loved it. Just like he loved her.<p>

"...I...we...You said yes..." Shinji whispered, "You...You want to marry me...!"

Hikari giggled, her hand politely covering her pink lips.

"Yes...I want to marry you," she confirmed once more. Her thumb ran over his hands gently, just gliding over the surface in reassurance and admiration.

"This...this is is..." his eyes shot up from the splotch on the table, to Hikari's inviting glance, "...I love you."

"I love you too, Shinji."

The coordinator flashed her smile of understanding once more. She couldn't help but think how absolutely adorable Shinji was at the moment. Flustered and confused, definetely unsure what to do, and helpless as he struggled to find his footing. She had to be patient with him, she knew. She had to let him lead in this "new chapter" of their lives. She leaned across the table and pecked him briefly on the lips.

"Tomorrow-we tell Mom and Reiji and Hakura and everyone!" Hikari squealed lightly, "It'll be such great news to give!"

"T-Tomorrow? So fast to tell them? Shouldn't we wait a week or something?" Shinji sputtered, his statement hardly passing as a protest.

"Why of course! It's only the first thing to do the next day!" she giggled happily, "But until then-I'd love to spend the rest of the night with you and only you."

A light blush painted itself comfortably on her cheeks. She sheepishly looked down, feeling as though she had gotten carried away in the moment. Shinji found himself flustered as well, his throat witnessing yet another drought.

"I don't want to see how any of them react. So it's up to you to do that, okay?" Shinji said quickly, trying to keep some of his dignity and pride afloat. Hikari could only laugh.  
>The meal was served, savored and finished. The check had so gratefully been on the house thanks to the compassionate owner of the restaurant. She had just happened to be a lover of romantic scenarios.<p>

"It's so nice to see two lovers scream their love to the world in my restaurant!" she had proclaimed enthusiastically, "Oh what a marvelous occasion~!" It had scared the couple a bit as she waved her arms out theatrically while reciting some sort of speech of newly conjoined lives.

Now they were driving home, giddy and pretty damn happy to sum it up. A weight had been lifted from Shinji's shoulders, and Hikari had something new and spicy to squeal about. It wasn't just congratulating her friend's relationship progressions anymore... She could now gossip about her own advancements. Shinji contently stared at the traffic ahead of him, still a bit antsy, but none the less relaxed. He could smile slightly at his accomplishment of having returned feelings.

Confusing as they were, they were returned. That...that in of itself...had been an amazing experience for the young man. He had always portrayed himself as a cold, hateful person. Hoping to give out a signal that he cared not for anything else but his objectives. But...someone had managed to creep past that wall of pride and dignity, to see a...how you say...softer...side of himself. When that happened, he felt quite vulnerable. That being said, it was a strange yet glorious relief to know his vulnerability was protected by that weird thing called love. This love being given out freely and willingly by that annoying, troublesome, over-reacting dramatic, yet soothing, refreshing and somewhat inspiring...Hikari.

But...isn't it a shame that such a happy feeling...could be taken away from you...within a blink of an eye?

* * *

><p>"...That can't be possible."<p>

"Then tell me why it's happening at all!"

"I'm sorry, sir-but-"

"No buts!" a large man snapped. His fist collided with the desk, causing the room to shake, "This is war I tell you! War!"

"We can't declare it yet though, sir..." a skimpier man said meekly, "...We haven't justifiable reasons."

"No. Trust me. After a few hours, our reasons will be justifiable enough. Credibility is fragile right now. We need to play our cards right in order to successfully execute our plan," the large man continued gruffly. Five men surrounded a desk, dressed in stiff formal business suits. They exchanged glances as best they could in the dim lit room. Their hands were neatly folded or tucked behind their backs. All of them awaited further words from the large man seated at the desk. The large man chewed the end of a cigar, inhaling its intoxicating tobacco.

He puffed another large cloud of smoke into the air. It curled upwards encircling his face. The end of his cigar illuminating dully. Fingers drummed against a solid wooden desk.

"...Just...continue with the plan. We have to declare war. It's our only hope of escaping this...situation..." he finalized.

The five other men nodded, before scattering to begin operations. Four were out the door, beginning to make phone calls to organize a timeline of meetings. Yet...one certain person, the one whose body was easily modeled after sticks, stopped.

"Sir...are you sure...this is right...?" he asked cautiously.

"Don't question my ideals and decisions," the larger man barked, "I know what I'm doing. Whether it's right or not-it's a last resort. Now go."

"...Yes, sir."

* * *

><p><strong>Bad chapter is bad. I'm sorry for such a cruddy chapter. I haven't been able to write anything lately. And recently, I've had a flood of reviews about people wanting an update on this lame story. Please forgive the terribleness of this! I'm sorry i just felt guilty i hadn't updated! ;-; but anyways... <strong>

**thanks so much for the supportive reviews! I'm so glad you guys like the idea so far! :3**

**I'll try to update some more...that is if school allows it, if life allows it, and if my writer's block decides to die. **

**R&R!**

**-TC**

**Pokemon doesn't belong to me neither do any of the characters stated here**


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